Following the recent allegations of modak theft in the most revered Lord Jagannath Temple in Puri, the temple loot incidents in Odisha have once again hogged the headlines with miscreants targetting religious places at will and allegedly decamping with cash, ornaments, and sacred artifacts.
As many as 10 temples have been allegedly looted by miscreants across Odisha in the last six months. This disturbing surge in temple thefts has raised concerns over the security of the religious sites in the state.
A Chronological Account of Some Incidents
January 2025:
January 4: The Panchamukhi Hanuman Temple in Cuttack was allegedly burgled, with thieves stealing gold and silver ornaments, including adornments from the deity itself.
January 16: Saila Srikhetra Jagannath Temple in Angul suffered a significant loss when miscreants allegedly looted cash and three gold crowns. timesofindia.
January 20: Siruli Mahavir Temple in Puri was targeted, with valuables allegedly being stolen from the premises.
February 2025:
February 6: In Balasore's Champu village, Jagannath Temple was allegedly looted, with thieves making off with gold and silver ornaments, including a silver crown and flute from the Radha-Krishna idol.
February 9: Jagannath Temple in Phulbani, Kandhamal district, was allegedly burgled, with cash and valuables being taken from the donation box.
March 2025:
March 7: Miscreants allegedly broke into the Jagannath Temple in Baliapal, Balasore, looting money from the donation box after breaking the main gate lock.
March 24: Two temples, Lord Shani temple in Chhatar Chhaka and Goddess Kali temple in Podashula, Balasores Nilagiri were allegedly looted. As per the allegations, thieves stole gold crowns, ornaments, and cash after breaking donation and ornament boxes.
May 2025:
May 14: Three temples, Lord Jagannath temple in Benuda, and Maa Sheetala and Goddess Kali temples in Jhakajhaki village, in Balasore district were simultaneously targeted. Thieves allegedly stole gold ornaments, cash, a microphone set, and an inverter, with total losses exceeding Rs 2 lakh.
May 28: In Jajpur district, three temples, Hanuman temple at Nathasahi village and Maa Tarini and Mahadev temples at Bhubaneswarpur village, were allegedly looted in a single night. Thieves reportedly stole idols, ornaments, apparel, and cash from donation boxes, with estimated losses around Rs 20 lakh.
June 2025:
June 21: A controversy erupted at Puri's Jagannath Temple over the alleged theft of 70 Dashamula Modaks, herbal offerings prepared for Lord Jagannath. While a senior servitor claimed the modaks were missing, the Odisha Law Minister dismissed the allegations as baseless, citing lack of evidence and proper record-keeping.
What Can Help Make Religious Sites Theft-free
To make religious sites theft-free in Odisha, robust CCTV surveillance systems should be installed at all major and vulnerable temples, integrated with local police stations for real-time monitoring.
Round-the-clock security personnel, preferably trained and verified, must be deployed at temple premises.
The government can mandate digital donation systems to reduce physical cash, minimizing theft risk.
Moreover, temple management committees need to conduct regular audits and inventory checks of ornaments and valuables.
Besides, strong coordination between temple authorities and law enforcement, along with swift investigation of past cases, will deter future incidents and restore public faith.
